Guns International #: 102482072
Seller's Inventory #: CM23-650

Category - Nambu Pistols - Military Pistols - Japanese

Category
Nambu Pistols
Military Pistols - Japanese

** SOLD ** WW2 Japanese Nambu Type 14 Pistol in 8mm Nambu w/ Matching Mag made by the Kokubunji Arsenal * ALL-MATCHING!!*

Description:
This is a beautiful, all-original and ALL-MATCHING Japanese Imperial Army Nambu Type 14 pistol in 8mm Nambu made by the Kokubunji Arsenal under Nagoya Arsenal's supervision. This gun has 1 original matching magazine and is totally unmolested/unmodified.  It has a WW2 Japanese-style lanyard on it that is maybe a reproduction, but we are not sure on that.  This Nambu is called either a "1st Series" or "2nd Run" pistol, as it was made after they made pistol serial number 99,999, and they had to either go to a 6th digit or add a series mark and start back at serial number 00,001.  They chose to add a series mark like what was done with the Type 99 Arisaka rifle.  So, while it was made in the second serial number block, it is considered a 1st "series" pistol by many collectors today.  Either way it can be described is considered correct and acceptable today.
     This Type 14 was built in June of 1942 so it likely saw at least a couple of years of combat before likely being captured by an American G.I. and brought to the States as a war trophy. Since that time, it has obviously been well cared-for and remains in superb condition overall, both inside and out.  All of the serial numbered parts are original and matching, and the original factory blue finish is still beautiful.  The only original parts that are not serial numbered that could have been are the firing pin and the firing pin spring guide.  Both the firing pin and the firing pin spring guide are un-numbered and appear to have never been numbered. The numbering of these two parts was sporadic throughout production, and are therefore correct un-numbered, as it is the correct long type (2.889" inches long) firing pin with the narrow diameter firing pin protrusion/tip measuring .0575" of an inch in diameter and the correct short type of firing pin spring guide.  Both of these parts have intact Japanese Military/factory inspection marks stamped into them that are still crisp and clean, both of which would have been obliterated had a serial number been ground-off of them.  The later production firing pins were 2.54" inches long with a tip diameter of .0775" of an inch.  Almost all of the other large and small parts (except for the springs, ejector, extractor, and various screws/pins) are serial-numbered with either the whole serial number or the last 3 or 4 digits of the serial number stamped into them (or written when it comes to grips). The serial-numbered parts on this gun include the frame, the barrel assembly, the trigger, the trigger housing, the magazine release button, the bolt, the bolt cocking knob, the magazine safety block, the sear bar, the safety lever, the locking block, and the magazine.  Also note that the extractor and ejector were NOT serial numbered on these, nor should they be. 
     The Type 14 Nambu pistol was the primary sidearm issued and carried by I.J.A. officers in WW2 (and was also available to many soldiers thru private purchase) along with a much smaller number of Type 97s, Baby and Papa Nambus, and Type 26 Revolvers.  Adopted into service in 1926, it remained the primary sidearm of the Japanese Imperial Army until their surrender in 1945. Out of all of the handguns in service with the Japanese, the Type 14 was considered the most well-rounded and was generally very reliable if kept at least moderately clean.  Chambered in 8mm Nambu, it had enough knock-down power for military service, but by no means was it comparable to the .45 ACP cartridge used by the Americans.  The Type 14 Nambu was issued with a cleaning rod and extra firing pin, as well as with 2 matching magazines serial-numbered to the gun when it left the factory new.  The VAST majority of Type 14's you see today no longer have even one matching mag with them, much less two, and the firing pins are often mismatched as they were extremely prone to breaking if dry-fired.  Much like all of the other Japanese Military weapons, the Type 14 was simplified as the war turned more and more against the Japanese.  They were forced to find some ways to make it cheaper and faster to build as man power and materials became increasingly scarce. By the last year of the war the extremely crude-looking Type 14 Nambu's being made barely resembled the pre-war examples in quality, reliability, and every other measurable characteristic. The last-ditch late-1944 and 1945 Type 14's are a very far cry from this beauty, that's for sure!
     This particular example is considered a mid-war gun, made before many of the cost-saving measures were implemented, but after they did some engineering improvements for shortcomings in the original design that were discovered on the battlefield. The two most visible of these modifications are the much larger triggerguard used on this pistol, and the spring and cut-out added to the frame's front grip strap for magazine retention.  The pre-war and early-war guns had a much smaller triggerguard which was found to be too small even for the small in stature Japanese men if they had gloved hands, and also made it harder for the soldier to get it out of the holster and get their hand situated to fire it accurately.  This Nambu does still have the early-style straw-finished trigger and safety lever, as well the earlier-style grooved and checkered oval-shaped cocking knob.  Only a short time later they went to all-blued small parts and a round cocking knob with no machined grooves and instead had coarse checkering.  This 1942-production Nambu still has really good fit and finish, and it is built out of relatively high-quality steel with the proper heat treatment. The action is slick and smooth, and all of the controls are in perfect working order.  The bore in this Type 14 is minty and very bright with strong and sharp rifling throughout the barrel, and has no visible pitting or damage. The 17-groove grips are factory-original and in great shape, free from any cracks, chips, repairs, or major damage, and they show the same degree of wear as the rest of the gun. Both grips fit the gun nice and tight with no wiggle in either side, and both are serial-numbered on the reverse with the last 3 digits of the matching serial number in handwritten in pencil.  There are also small inspector mark stamped in the reverse of both grips, still very visible.  This IS CORRECT for Type 14's made by the Kokubunji Arsenal. This arsenal never used stamped numbers on the grips, they were either handwritten in pencil or left un-numbered completely.  The original golden-yellow straw finish on the trigger, safety lever, magazine release, and pins thru the action is still somewhat intact and bright in spots, with some good color still showing in the protected areas in particular.  This is very common as this strawed (yellow-gold) finish created by only heat was not nearly as durable as the chemically-created blue finish on the rest of the gun.  This Nambu comes with one of the two original matching mags with it, which is also in perfect working order with good original finish still showing on it, a strong spring, and with clean undamaged feed lips.  This Type 14 Nambu should still function just as reliably today as it did when it was new in 1942.  If you have been looking for a really clean Type 14 Nambu that is totally original and all-matching including the magazine, this Kokubunji-made pistol would be an excellent choice.  These will NEVER be cheaper than they are now!!  These Type 14's have been increasing in value pretty rapidly in the last few years after appreciating at a slow and constant pace the 20 years prior to that.  This one is particularly great in that it still has that original serial-numbered matching magazine, a great deal of the factory finish still on it in great condition, and is as perfect mechanically as they can be!  You MIGHT find one out of every 100 that can check off all of those boxes these days, and if you do find one that does, you have to be super careful about looking for factory original or reproduction parts in the gun and faked matching magazines! 

NOTE: The date code is "17.6" which is the year and then the month.  To determine the year you add 25 to the first number, the month number is the same as our calendar, so in this case it is June (6) of '42 (17+25=42).  
 

SOLD

Curio/Relic: Yes
Handgun Caliber: 8x22mm Nambu
Manufacturer: Kokubunji Arsenal under Nagoya Supervision
Model: Nambu Type 14 (1st Series or 2nd Run)
Serial Number: 7539
Condition: Excellent
Metal Condition: Excellent
Wood Condition: Excellent
Bore Condition: Minty
Action: Semi-Auto
Finish: Matte Military Blue
Sights: Fixed Iron Sights
Manufacture Date: June 1942
Extras: Pistol Lanyard (Likely Repro)